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The Blue Letter Bible

Lexicon :: Strong's G3850 - parabolē

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παραβολή
Transliteration
parabolē (Key)
Pronunciation
par-ab-ol-ay'
Listen
Part of Speech
feminine noun
Root Word (Etymology)
Dictionary Aids

Vine's Expository Dictionary: View Entry

TDNT Reference: 5:744,773

Strong’s Definitions

παραβολή parabolḗ, par-ab-ol-ay'; from G3846; a similitude ("parable"), i.e. (symbolic) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apothegm or adage:—comparison, figure, parable, proverb.

KJV Translation Count — Total: 50x

The KJV translates Strong's G3850 in the following manner: parable (46x), figure (2x), comparison (1x), proverb (1x).

KJV Translation Count — Total: 50x
The KJV translates Strong's G3850 in the following manner: parable (46x), figure (2x), comparison (1x), proverb (1x).

  1. a placing of one thing by the side of another, juxtaposition, as of ships in battle

  2. metaph.

    1. a comparing, comparison of one thing with another, likeness, similitude

    2. an example by which a doctrine or precept is illustrated

    3. a narrative, fictitious but agreeable to the laws and usages of human life, by which either the duties of men or the things of God, particularly the nature and history of God's kingdom are figuratively portrayed

    4. a parable: an earthly story with a heavenly meaning

  3. a pithy and instructive saying, involving some likeness or comparison and having preceptive or admonitory force

    1. an aphorism, a maxim

  4. a proverb

  5. an act by which one exposes himself or his possessions to danger, a venture, a risk

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)
παραβολή parabolḗ, par-ab-ol-ay'; from G3846; a similitude ("parable"), i.e. (symbolic) fictitious narrative (of common life conveying a moral), apothegm or adage:—comparison, figure, parable, proverb.
STRONGS G3850:
παραβολή, παραβολῆς, ἡ (παραβάλλω, which see), the Sept. for מָשָׁל;
1. a placing of one thing by the side of another, juxtaposition, as of ships in battle, Polybius 15, 2, 13; Diodorus 14, 60.
2. metaphorically, a comparing, comparison of one thing with another, likeness, similitude (Plato, Isocrates, Polybius, Plutarch): universally, Matthew 24:32; Mark 13:28; an example by which a doctrine or precept is illustrated, Mark 3:23; Luke 14:7; a thing serving as a figure of something else, Hebrews 9:9; this meaning also very many interpreters give the word in Hebrews 11:19, but see 5 below; specifically, "a narrative, fictitious but agreeable to the laws and usages of human life, by which either the duties of men or the things of God, particularly the nature and history of God's kingdom, are figuratively portrayed" (cf. B. D., see under the words, Fable, Parable (and references there; add Aristotle, rhet. 2, 20, 2ff and Cope's notes)): Matthew 13:3, 10, 13, 24, 31, 33-35, 53; Matthew 21:33, 45; (Matthew 22:1); Mark 4:2, 10,(Mark 4:11),Mark 4:13,30,33f; (Mark 7:17); Mark 12:1,(Mark 12:12); Luke 8:4, 9-11; Luke 12:16, 41; Luke 13:6; Luke 14:7; Luke 15:3; Luke 18:1, 9; Luke 19:11; Luke 20:9, 19; Luke 21:29; with a genitive of the person or thing to which the contents of the parable refer (Winer's Grammar, § 30, 1 a.): τοῦ σπείροντος, Matthew 13:18; τῶν ζιζανίων, Matthew 13:36; τήν βασιλείαν τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐν παραβολή τιθέναι (literally, to set forth the kingdom of God in a parable), to illustrate (the nature and history of) the kingdom of God by the use of a parable, Mark 4:30 L text T Tr text WH.
3. "a pithy and instructive saying, involving some likeness or comparison and having preceptive or admonitory force; an aphorism, a maxim": Luke 5:36; Luke 6:39; Matthew 15:15 (Proverbs 1:6; Ecclesiastes 1:17; Sir. 3:29(27); Sir 13:26(25), etc.). Since sayings of this kind often pass into proverbs, παραβολή is
4. a proverb: Luke 4:23 (1 Samuel 10:12; Ezekiel 12:22; Ezekiel 18:2f).
5. an act by which one exposes himself or his possessions to danger, a venture, risk (in which sense the plural seems to be used by Plutarch, Aratus 22: διά πολλῶν ἑλιγμων καί παραβολῶν περαινοντες πρός τό τεῖχος (cf. Diodorus Siculus fragment book 30:9, 2; also variant in Thucydides 1, 131, 2 (and Poppo at the passage))); ἐν παραβολή, in risking him, i. e. at the very moment when he exposed his son to mortal peril (see παραβολεύομαι), Hebrews 11:19 (Hesychius ἐκ παραβολῆς. ἐκ παρακινδυνευματος); others with less probability explain it, in a figure, i. e. as a figure, either of the future general resurrection of all men, or of Christ offered up to God and raised again from the dead; others otherwise.
THAYER’S GREEK LEXICON, Electronic Database.
Copyright © 2002, 2003, 2006, 2011 by Biblesoft, Inc.
All rights reserved. Used by permission. BibleSoft.com

BLB Scripture Index of Thayer's

1 Samuel
10:12
Proverbs
1:6
Ecclesiastes
1:17
Ezekiel
12:22; 18:2
Matthew
13; 13:3; 13:10; 13:13; 13:18; 13:24; 13:31; 13:36; 13:53; 15:15; 21:33; 21:45; 22:1; 24:32
Mark
3:23; 4:2; 4:10; 4:11; 4:13; 4:30; 4:30; 4:33; 7:17; 12:1; 12:12; 13:28
Luke
4:23; 5:36; 6:39; 8; 8:4; 12:16; 12:41; 13:6; 14:7; 14:7; 15:3; 18:1; 18:9; 19:11; 20:9; 20:19; 21:29
Hebrews
9:9; 11:19; 11:19

Word / Phrase / Strong's Search

Strong's Number G3850 matches the Greek παραβολή (parabolē),
which occurs 50 times in 48 verses in the MGNT Greek.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:3

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:3 - He told many stories in the form of parables, such as this one: “Listen! A farmer went out to plant some seeds.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:10

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:10 - His disciples came and asked him, “Why do you use parables when you talk to the people?”

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:13

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:13 - That is why I use these parables,
For they look, but they don’t really see.
They hear, but they don’t really listen or understand.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:18

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:18 - “Now listen to the explanation of the parable about the farmer planting seeds:

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:24

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:24 - Here is another story Jesus told: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a farmer who planted good seed in his field.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:31

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:31 - Here is another illustration Jesus used: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a mustard seed planted in a field.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:33

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:33 - Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:34

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:34 - Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:35

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:35 - This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet:
“I will speak to you in parables.
I will explain things hidden since the creation of the world.[fn]”

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:36

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:36 - Then, leaving the crowds outside, Jesus went into the house. His disciples said, “Please explain to us the story of the weeds in the field.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 13:53

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 13:53 - When Jesus had finished telling these stories and illustrations, he left that part of the country.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 15:15

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 15:15 - Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.”

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 21:33

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 21:33 - “Now listen to another story. A certain landowner planted a vineyard, built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 21:45

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 21:45 - When the leading priests and Pharisees heard this parable, they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 22:1

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 22:1 - Jesus also told them other parables. He said,

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Unchecked Copy Box Mat 24:32

Unchecked Copy BoxMat 24:32 - “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 3:23

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 3:23 - Jesus called them over and responded with an illustration. “How can Satan cast out Satan?” he asked.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:2

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:2 - He taught them by telling many stories in the form of parables, such as this one:

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:10

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:10 - Later, when Jesus was alone with the twelve disciples and with the others who were gathered around, they asked him what the parables meant.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:11

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:11 - He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secret[fn] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables for everything I say to outsiders,

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:13

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:13 - Then Jesus said to them, “If you can’t understand the meaning of this parable, how will you understand all the other parables?

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:30

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:30 - Jesus said, “How can I describe the Kingdom of God? What story should I use to illustrate it?

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:33

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:33 - Jesus used many similar stories and illustrations to teach the people as much as they could understand.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 4:34

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 4:34 - In fact, in his public ministry he never taught without using parables; but afterward, when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything to them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 7:17

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 7:17 - Then Jesus went into a house to get away from the crowd, and his disciples asked him what he meant by the parable he had just used.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 12:1

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 12:1 - Then Jesus began teaching them with stories: “A man planted a vineyard. He built a wall around it, dug a pit for pressing out the grape juice, and built a lookout tower. Then he leased the vineyard to tenant farmers and moved to another country.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 12:12

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 12:12 - The religious leaders[fn] wanted to arrest Jesus because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the crowd, so they left him and went away.

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Unchecked Copy Box Mar 13:28

Unchecked Copy BoxMar 13:28 - “Now learn a lesson from the fig tree. When its branches bud and its leaves begin to sprout, you know that summer is near.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 4:23

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 4:23 - Then he said, “You will undoubtedly quote me this proverb: ‘Physician, heal yourself’—meaning, ‘Do miracles here in your hometown like those you did in Capernaum.’

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 5:36

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 5:36 - Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 6:39

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 6:39 - Then Jesus gave the following illustration: “Can one blind person lead another? Won’t they both fall into a ditch?

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 8:4

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 8:4 - One day Jesus told a story in the form of a parable to a large crowd that had gathered from many towns to hear him:

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 8:9

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 8:9 - His disciples asked him what this parable meant.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 8:10

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 8:10 - He replied, “You are permitted to understand the secrets[fn] of the Kingdom of God. But I use parables to teach the others so that the Scriptures might be fulfilled:
‘When they look, they won’t really see.
When they hear, they won’t understand.’[fn]

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 8:11

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 8:11 - “This is the meaning of the parable: The seed is God’s word.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 12:16

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:16 - Then he told them a story: “A rich man had a fertile farm that produced fine crops.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 12:41

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 12:41 - Peter asked, “Lord, is that illustration just for us or for everyone?”

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 13:6

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 13:6 - Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 14:7

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 14:7 - When Jesus noticed that all who had come to the dinner were trying to sit in the seats of honor near the head of the table, he gave them this advice:

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 15:3

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 15:3 - So Jesus told them this story:

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 18:1

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 18:1 - One day Jesus told his disciples a story to show that they should always pray and never give up.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 18:9

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 18:9 - Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else:

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 19:11

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 19:11 - The crowd was listening to everything Jesus said. And because he was nearing Jerusalem, he told them a story to correct the impression that the Kingdom of God would begin right away.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 20:9

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 20:9 - Now Jesus turned to the people again and told them this story: “A man planted a vineyard, leased it to tenant farmers, and moved to another country to live for several years.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 20:19

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 20:19 - The teachers of religious law and the leading priests wanted to arrest Jesus immediately because they realized he was telling the story against them—they were the wicked farmers. But they were afraid of the people’s reaction.

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Unchecked Copy Box Luk 21:29

Unchecked Copy BoxLuk 21:29 - Then he gave them this illustration: “Notice the fig tree, or any other tree.

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Unchecked Copy Box Heb 9:9

Unchecked Copy BoxHeb 9:9 - This is an illustration pointing to the present time. For the gifts and sacrifices that the priests offer are not able to cleanse the consciences of the people who bring them.

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Unchecked Copy Box Heb 11:19

Unchecked Copy BoxHeb 11:19 - Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead.
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